The Equestrian Assassin
by devonbronyboy
Summary: An assassin is sent after Princess Celestia and is more than ready to do whatever is necessary to bring her down. However whether or not his mission will be completed is made uncertain when he starts falling for Celestia's younger sister. All hangs in the balance as he makes his choice. Will he kill Tia, or will he be merely a pawn in what's to come? Please R&R, looking to improve
1. The Target

Deep within the dark forest by the name of Everfree, there lies a large cave burrowed into a large stone outcropping that jutted a hundred feet into the air. The cave appeared to look rather shallow upon first glance but a closer look shows that the cave actually sloped downward into the ground.

This cave was merely the entrance to a huge network of ancient underground tunnels All the creatures of the forest, from the lowliest insect to the largest Urga Major, knew to never near the cave because something evil had come to live there not long ago and they feared it on a primeval level of instinct.

The inhabitants of this cave were both powerful and yet at weak at the same time because they had no way to fuel their powers. Therefore, they continued to live on with what power they did have and consume energy from whatever wildlife they came across.

Although they lived poorly, these creatures lived here because their ruler promised that spot, they would be able to accomplish all their goals and then they would do whatever they wished with the power they would acquire. However, their goals are many, and there was few among them that could be trusted to always successfully accomplish these tasks.

Deep within the very center of the tunnels there was a room lit dimly by a few candles. One candle rested on a shelf beside the door. The other two were on a simple table placed in the center of the room. The rest of the furniture and other objects in the room lied in the shadows and were barely visible in the poor lighting. This didnt bother the owner of the room at all, for his eyes were attuned to all levels of lighting, from the pitch black dark of a moonless night to the brightness of morning sunlight glaring off the snow. The other being in the room wasnt quite so accustomed to the lightning, but she cared not because she had important business with the one before her.

"So what is it you want done this time?" The male asked the female from his seat across from her at the table.

"Its time to strike some heavier blows to Equestria. I'm here to ask you to take out a high priority target" The female replied, her voice sounding slightly raspsy, as if she had a strange lisp.

"Of course, and as always I'm ready to serve you My Lady" The male said as he raised a hoof and gestured a sort of half bow from his sitting position.

"You know I dislike it when you do that" The female replied.

"Yes, I am fully aware. However you will always have my deepest respects for all you have done for me" The male replied softly.

"I know" The female replied, her voice softening. "As for your target though, you must also treat her some... respects"

"Indeed I shall. Whom is my target this time My Lady?" The male inquired.

"Well I don't know if the timing is right for this or not, but I need you to dispose of Princess Celestia" The female replied happily.

"It shall be done My Lady" The male said as his chair scraped upon the floor, indicating that he had stood up.

"What do we gain by disposing of Celestia other than ridding ourselves of an old enemy?" The male asked thoughtfully.

"It will force another pony to take up the mantle of rule, as well as create chaos and confusion, which is exactly what we need to get our agents into place" The female replied, sounding rather enthusiastic.

"That makes perfect sense, but why not have me take out some other polititians and other higher ups while I'm there?" The male asked.

"Well now I wouldn't make to high a request of you. Celestia is the primary target, but if you can get some others in high places, that would be excellent" The female replied, sounding a little lost in thought at the idea of more of their enemies out of the way.

"It shall be done My Lady" The male replied as he shuffled over to the door.

"Oh by the way Swift, make sure they know who is responsible this time" The female said as the male walked out.


	2. Donuts for Everypony

"Well isn't this great. Another boring day in Canterlot" Said Spike the dragon to himself.

Spike had been stuck im Canterlot the past two weeks with his dearest friend Twilight because of some Princess duties she had to take care of, leaving him to do as he wished more often than not.

"I hate it when I don't get invited to these things" Spike said to himself as he wandered down a road at random.

Spike remembered when he received the letter via his fire breath asking for Twilight to help out around Canterlot. Twilight had spent the whole train ride prepping herself for whatever sort of duties she needed to attend to. It turned out most of those duties were just formal society gatherings and other events that asked for the participation of a Princess.

Spike ended up so lost in thought he accidentally bumped into somepony, and they both fell.

"Oops, my bad" Spike said as his face flushed from embarrassment.

"No no, it was my fault. I was busy taking in the scenery and didn't notice where I was walking" The pony replied as the pair stood back up.

Spike noticed straight away this stallion he had run into was a bit odd. He was dressed in a white cloak that was encumbered with some sort of metal around the midsection and shoulders, and seemed to have sleeves for the forehooves as well as a hood, which was currently shrouding the stallion's mane around his head. However, the tail was still slightly visible revealing a yellow and electric blue streaked mane style. There was also a very small pouch tied to the pony's right side.

Spike looked on at the stallion's hooves indicating that his fur was a brick red, and when he looked up at the stallion's hood Spike was a little startled by the electric blue eyes staring down at him. It wasn't the color that startled Spike though, it was the depth they held. They were filled with a lot of emotion that couldn't be understood no matter how long you looked at them.

"Are you alright little one?" The stallion asked.

"Yeah I'm fine, but I'm not little" Spike replied indignantly.

"My apologies" the stallion laughed. "I should have known better than to insult you so"

"Eh don't worry about it" Spike replied, shrugging.

"So my friend, where did you come from? You're certainly no wild dragon, and the nopony gives you a second glance which means that they're used to seeing you around here" The stallion stated.

"Well most ponies around here do already know me. I spent a good portion of time growing up here in Canterlot. From the time I hatched up to a few years ago I lived here, then Twilight and I moved to Ponyville. We came back so she could attend to some royal duties and stuff" Spike explained.

"Ah yes I remember hearing about you! The young drake hatched by Princess Twilight during her entance exam at the magic academy, and raised by Princess Celestia until Twilight was old enough to care for you" The stallion said happily.

"Yep that's me. Twilight's number one assistant, Spike the Dragon" Spike replied with a small bow.

"You must feel very lucky to be around Royalty all the time. I bet you also know every little detail about Canterlot Palace too" The stallion said in awe.

"Well I don't know about lucky, but it has been very interesting. To be honest I actually don't know much about the castle either. It's very big and even in the amount of time I've had I probably only ever saw about half of the entire castle" Spike replied, remembering the many hallways and rooms.

"Well it's pretty cool either way. I wish I was that lucky" The stallion replied, his expression somewhat wistful.

"What's your name?" Spike asked as he raised a claw to shake the stallion's hoof.

"My name is Swift" the stallion replied as he held out his joof and shook Spike's claw happily.

"Well Swift, since I'm not busy doing anything, and if you're not to busy, would you like a tour of the castle?" Spike asked.

"What? You just met me and you're offering me the oppritunity of a lifetime? How could I refuse?" Swift asked as he started grinning happily.

"Yeah, but its no big deal" Spike replied, rubbing the baxk of his head with one of his claws.

"Spike my friend, you have no idea how happy I am to have run into you this afternoon. You must be loved by all your friends" Swift stated happily, still grinning.

"For the most part yeah, but I'm just a nice guy whenever I get the chance" Spike replied, a smile on his face now as well.

"Well my friend, lead the way" Swift said happily with a slight bow.

"Sure, follow me" Spike said as he started walking in the direction he had been heading before bumping into Swift.

"Ah, I take it you were already heading towards the castle when I bumped into you then?" Swift asked as he followed at Spike's side.

"Well I was considering it. I was either gonna head back for a nap or go over to Donut Joe's for a few donuts" Spike replied.

"Donut Joe's huh? I've heard about that place, but I haven't had the time to stop in yet" Swift said as they continued down another road.

"Well in that case we're going to make a stop at Donut Joe's before we go on that tour" Spike said, hoping to make Swift even happier.

"Really? Well in that case I insist on paying the bill" Swift replied, grinning widely.

"You don't have to worry about that. I just send the bill to the castle. Celestia doesn't mind at all" Spike informed him.

"Even so, I must insist on paying. I owe you that much for all the kindness you've offered me" Swift replied firmly.

"Alright, but I hate to think that you're wasting your money" Spike replied with a slight grimace.

Swift laughed. "Oh Spike you're a true friend. Worry not for my money though, I have plenty" Swift said as he pulled a few bit coins out of his bag and showed them to Spike.

"Whoa, hundred bit coins? I've never actually seen one up close"Spike said in awe as Swift hooved them to Spike.

Swift laughed again. "They surprised me a bit the first time I saw them too. To be able to hold so much money at once does give a slight feeling of power"

"Yeah it does" Spike replied as he continued to stare at the coins in his claw.

"Hey Spike, do you have any friends that might like some donuts?" Swift asked as the pair continued there walk.

"Well most of my friends are in Ponyville right now, but I am friends with a few of the guards, and they love donuts" Spike said, a grin spreading across his face again.

"Well then perhaps we should buy some for them as well" Swift said happily.

"Well that's a great idea, but I couldn't ask you to pay such a large bill" Spike replied uneasily.

"Oh nonsense, I heard about this item awhile back that Donut Joe made, I believe it was called 'Donutopia' and it is well within my price range" Swift said, shooting down Spike's unease.

"But Swift, that's a hundred and fifty bits! I can't let you spend that much!" Spike replied, both in awe and shock.

"Spike, you've shown me kindness and generosity beyond measure. That is worth more to me than any amount of bits, and I'm happy to call you my friend" Swift replied softly as he stared down at the dragon beside him.

"I... Alright, if it's that important to you. I can understand that" Spike replied, fully understanding what Swift meant.

"Ho! Is that our destination there in the distance?" Swift asked as he pointed towards a large building with a large donut on it.

"Yep, that's the place!" Spike replied happily to Swift's enthusiasm.

"Then let us finish the first leg of our journey!" Swift cried happily as he sped up his walking pace.

Spike laughed and ran to catch up to Swift and they approached the donut shop together.

As they entered the shop, Spike noticed how Swift looked about the room in awe, but also that Swift was paying very close attention to every detail when he looked at something, but he chose to ignore it, thinking it was just curiousity.

"Hey Spike, you here for your usual?!" A tan pony with a brown mane asked from behind the counter.

"Hey Joe, and yeah thats fine. My new buddy Swift is here for his first time, so hit him with a few of your specials" Spike said with a grin.

"Okay, anything else?" Joe asked as he turned to the donut rack behind him and started using magic to place donuts in a bag.

"Well my good sir, I've heard quite a bit about this place and thanks to Spike here I'm expecting a real treat, and since I've insisted on bringing some back to the castle for a few of the guards, I'll mix both those needs into one. I'd like to order a Donutopia" Swift said, grinning all the while.

"Excellent! Hey Cherry, we have to start making one of the super specials!" Joe yelled towards a door just beside the racks of donuts.

"Sure thing Joe, I'll start the foundation!" A female voice yelled back.

"Oh and if it's not too much trouble, how about two cups of hot apple cider" Swift asked.

"Sure thing, but are sure you want this bill? I've had customers faint just from seeing the price of a Donutopia" Joe inquired as he glanced at Swift's little pouch.

Swift pulled out two one hundred bit coins before replying. "Spike already told me how much it cost, and that seems reasonable for something with as much work and donuts as the Donutopia"

Swift placed the coins on the counter and Joe picked them up and placed them in the cash register.

"Keep the change, you deserve it for the cheery manner in which you run your shop" Swift said as Joe pulled out the twenty five bits that was supposed to be Swift's change.

"Well thank you, but are you sure you don't mind giving up that much? That's a lot of money in this economy" Joe said as he took a glance at Swift's attire.

"I assure you my good sir" Swift said as he reached into his bag once more. "I have plenty of money"

In Swift's hoof once again was another half dozen coins, all of them one hundred bit coins.

"Well in that case sir I won't feel to bad about accepting your generous tip" Joe said with a smile.

Spike led Swift over to a table in the corner that was next to the front window where they could see everypony that passed by and anything happening in the streets.

After sitting down, Swift hoofed Spike his donjts and began eating his own before striking up conversation again.

"Well, these donuts are very tasty. I do believe they're the best I've ever had"

Spike smiled broadly. "Yeah I knew you'd say that. Joe has been perfecting these for years, and I've always given him feedback whenever he tries out a new recipe or mixes up a few ingrediants for fun"

"Yeah and I'm going to borrow that feedback of yours again sometime soon!" Joe shouted from the back room, causing the pair to burst out laughing.

"Wow he must have sharp ears to have heard us" Swift theorized.

"Yeah, and when it comes to donuts, he loves getting critisism, both good and bad" Spike replied through a mouthful of donut.

"Well if this is how he always runs his business it must be a very popular spot" Swift said after aoment of munching.

"Oh yeah, and Joe is even considered the place to go when the royal baker isnt available" Spike replied with a grin.

"Well now I'm curious, what could be so funny about that statement?" Swift inquired before taking a sip of his apple cider.

"Hahaha, well let's just say Celestia has a bit of a sweet tooth on her" Spike replied before he sipped at his cider as well.

"If it's that big of a deal it must be a true royal sweet tooth" Swift laughed, causing Spike to snort and laugh for a minute straight.

"Oh Swift you have no idea" Spike said as he wiped a tear from his eye. "She's worse than Pinkie Pie when it comes to cake"

"Hahaha, I must say that sounds pretty bad based on what I know about the famed Pinkie Pie" Swift replied while laughing.

"Yeah I think she has an all sweets diet or something. Celestia isn't quite so bad but she does eat cake at least twice a day" Spike explained.

"My that certainly is a lot of cake" Swift replied.

Before Spike could say more, Joe yelled "Finished!" from the back room.

Spike and Swift turned to look as Joe pulled a cart out from the back room. The cart itself was all but burried in a mountain of donuts that resembled a large city with multiple skyscrapers.

"My compliments to the chef" Swift said with a large smile as Joe unhooked himself from the cart.

"Would you like help delivering as well or can you take it from here?" Joe asked.

"I believe Spike and I can handle it, but thank you for the offer" Swift replied as he walked over and strapped himself to the cart.

"Have a good day you two" Joe called as Spike held the door open for Swift.

"We'll certainly try" Swift called back as the door slowly swung shut.

"He seems like a great guy and all, but something about him just doesn't seem right" Joe said to himself.

"Oh stop fussing Joe, he's just really rich and really nice" Cherry called from the back room.

"I suppose, I guess part of my concern is the fact that he just met Spike and was instantly nice to him.

"Some ponies are just raised better than others Joe, you worry to much" Cherry replied as she exited the back room, her white fur and cherry red mane sprinkled with flour.

"Oh well, best we can do is just hope you're right" Joe replied as he kissed his marefriend on The cheek and went to the back room to make more donuts.

"We're almost there Swift, just another block" Spike encouraged Swift, who was starting to pant slightly from the uphill struggle with the cart.

"Thanks Spike, that's good to know. Hopefully the guards will enjoy their gift" Swift replied as he continued his treck with Spike at his side.

"You don't have to hope, I know they'll love it. I wouldn't be surprised if Celestia came down for a donut or two" Spike chuckled.

"Here we are, Canterlot Castle. Home of the Royal Sisters" Spike proclaimed as they came to a stop in front of a small set if stairs leading up to a grand doorway that was guarded by two white furred Unicorns adorned with golden armor.

'Excellent, time to start planning in more detail' Swift thought to himself as a small smile crept onto his muzzle.


	3. The Attempt

"Halt! Who goes there?!" A white Unicorn in golden armor called as he approached the pair.

"Hey Slick Shield, it's me Spike!" Spike replied as the guard came to a stop in front of The pair.

"Hello again Spike, but whom is this?" Slick asked as he pointed a hoof at Swift.

"This here is my new buddy Swift! We bumped into each other earlier and we became friends! To show his appreciation at gaining a new friend he bought us a Donutopia that he insisted on sharing with everypony" Spike replied happily.

"Donutopia eh? That's not something just anypony can afford" Slick said as he glanced over Swift's attire.

"I assure you it was no trouble. I've always had plenty of money" Swift said as he pulled out some of his hundred bit coins once again to show off his wealth.

"I see, well we'll let you right on through to the Castle after a quick inspection of your bag" Slick said as he sighed.

"Sure, go right ahead my friend" Swift replied, and the guard searched through Swift's small pouch.

"Well everything seems to be in order. Just lots of bits, some gum, a bar of chocolate, a receipt for one Donutopia, and a note for your next dental appointment with Colgate in Ponyville" Slick said as he places everything back in the pouch and closed it.

"For all your troubles, take this, as well as a couple donuts" Swift said as he hooved a twenty bit coin to the guard.

"Oh sir, you are far too generous" the guard said as he looked at the bit in his hoof.

"Think nothing of it. Don't forget to grab a donut or two" Swift said with a small smile.

"Thank you very much. My marefriend will be so happy when she gets the gift I I tend to buy with this extra money" Slick said happily as he munched a donut.

"You're very welcome Slick Shield. I hope to see you again soon" Swift replied as another guard pulled small collapsible ramp out through the front door and set it up so Swift could bring his donut cart inside.

"Thank you sir" Swift said to the guard who had brought the ramp out.

"You're very welcome sir" the guard replied as Swift made his way up the ramp and through the huge doors.

As they entered the castle, a lot of the guards took note of Swift's strange outfit and how it appeared to be a type of light armor, but they ignored it after seeing the cart of donuts behind him with Spike shouting "Who wants donuts!"

Swift followed Spike down a series of corridors and through many large open rooms before they finally came to a stop outside the throne room.

"Wait here a sec, I'm going to see if Celestia would like some" Spike said as he slipped in through the door, leaving Swift with a handful of guards who were happily chomping away on their donuts.

A moment later Spike returned. "She definitely needs a bit of sugar. She seems exhausted from dealing with her duties today"

"Well let's relieve her of some stress shall we?" Swift said with a smile.

"C'mon then, let's not keep her waiting" Spike said as he opened the door for Swift.

As they stepped into the room, Swift glanced around slowly at the surroundings. Taking in all the stained glass windows that depicted many key events of the past. Swift took particular interest in the depiction of Nightmare Moon and the Elements of Harmony turning her back into Princess Luna.

"Welcome to Canterlot Swift" A melodic voice said, raising Swift's attention from the window the the two thrones in front of him.

Before him sat none other than Princess Celestia herself. Her white fur glistening in the sunlight pouring through the windows, and her pink, light blue, and light green mane and tail were waving gracefully, without the presence of any wind. Her horn shapened to a point and her wings sleek as silk.

Swift bowed his head. "Your Majesty, thank you for such a warm welcome. However I thank you in return" Swift replied.

"Oh? Whatever for?" Celestia inquired.

"Well you were the one who raised Spike to be such a kind hearted soul" Swift answered with a smile in Spike's direction, causing him to blush slightly.

"Well I only showed him the way. In the end it's personal choice on who you become" Celestia countered with a small smile of her own.

"To true Princess, to true. May I approach with this delicious treat that I bought for all my new friends here?" Swift asked.

"Of course, but I do wonder why it is that you would pay so much for such a treat" Celestia said with a raised brow.

"Money is of little importance to me, I have plenty" Swift replied with a wave of his hoof. "Besides a good friend is worth far more than simple objects"

"You're very wise for such a young stallion. I can't help but wonder where you picked up such wisdom" Celestia stated as Swift came to a stop in front of the two thrones.

"Well age does not determine experience. Although you might see it otherwise due to all your experience throughout the times" Swift replied as he unhitched himself from the cart.

"Well you do have a fine point there, but it depends on the experience as well" Celestia replied as she stood face to face with Swift.

"One can experience much in a short time" Swift said as he glanced behind him as a guard fell offer, unconscious.

"What's wrong with him?" Celestia called as two more guards moved to check their fallen comrade.

"He's been… drugged" one of the guards stuttered as he to fell over after checking the other for vital signs. Then all the other guards and Spike started toppling over one by one.

"What's the meaning of this?!" Celestia demanded as she turned her attention to Swift, but he wasn't in front of her anymore.

"I refrain from killing innocents" He whispered from behind her as she felt a slight pressure on her neck.

"What? But how did you…" Celestia choked out as she turned her head slightly to look at Swift out the corner of her eye.

"Magic" Swift whispered in her ear with a wide grin.

"NO!" A voice yelled suddenly.

Swift turned just in time to see a blur of deep blue fur bash right into him, knocking him away from Celestia.

"Grr who dares…" Swift started to say but stopped when he saw the pony in question.

A deep blue Alicorn mare stood before him. Her wings spread in anger, her horn aimed right at his heart. The Alicorn was absolutely furious and there was malice rooted in her deep blue eyes.

"Luna" Celestia mumbled as she glanced at the Alicorn standing in front of her, defiantly glaring at Celestia's would-be assassin.

Swift however was still slightly awed, not by the sudden brash acts the Princess had committed, but because of her beauty.

"You should have died on my horn" Luna stated flatly as she continued glaring at Swift.

"Oh yes well, that should have happened, but it didn't" Swift said, scratching his left hoof with his right.

"Luna, before you attack again, look at his eyes" Celestia whispered in her sister's ear.

"Why should I bother, he will be near death when I'm done with him" Luna replied angrily.

"He's infatuated with you. We could use that to our advantage" Celestia replied, and sure enough, Swift's eyes were everywhere but on Luna.

"Look me in the eye!" Luna yelled, causing Swift to jump and look directly at her.

What Celestia said was obviously apparent, but there was more in his eyes then just a small lusting for the mare in front of him. There was also a deep, wicked pain visible, as well as a large amount of loneliness.

"I know those eyes, you looked nearly the same when you came back to me from the moon" Celestia said as they continued to hold his gaze with their own.

"What do we do sister? I don't know what kind of weapons he might have, nor what he is capable of" Luna stated.

"Well… maybe I'll just go now..." Swift said quietly, slowly backing up towards the door.

"No you won't, you've committed many acts worthy of sentencing" Luna said as she took a step towards him while his eyes widened slightly.

"Sister wait, I have a better idea" Celestia whispered to her sister. "We can use him to find out who's behind the plots against us.

"Sister I doubt he'd be so willing to give information" Luna replied flatly to her sister.

"I'll tell you whatever you want, just please don't hurt me" Swift said quietly, causing both princesses to glance at each other in shock.

"Do you think it's safe to hold him in an interrogation cell?" Luna asked her sister.

"Swift, I promise we won't hurt you. Just take off the cloak and lay down whatever weapons you may have on you" Celestia ordered.

"Sure, whatever you say" Swift said as he slipped off his outfit, revealing he had two hidden blades attached to his front hooves, which he unstrapped from himself and set down gently on top of his outfit.

There was another feature about Swift that they couldn't ignore however. His outfit had hidden two very distinctive features about himself. There was a horn upon his head and a pair of wings attached to his back.

Both princesses looked at each other in shock, not knowing quite what was going on.

"Swift, you're… an Alicorn?" Luna asked in shock.

"Yes, why does that matter?" Swift asked.

"There have not been any male Alicorns seen in millennia, and there are hardly any Alicorns at all. Yet here you stand not knowing how important that makes you" Celestia replied carefully.

"I am anything but important" Swift replied flatly.

"What in Equestria makes you say that?" Celestia inquired.

"For as long as I have lived sadness and misfortune have followed in my wake" Swift replied sadly. "And my cutie mark is proof of it.

Upon Swift's flank was the image of a stormcloud, with a lightning bolt flowing out of it.

"This is all most… disturbing" Celestia said as she glanced at her sister.

"Indeed it is, but first things first. I'd prefer to put Swift in an interrogation room" Luna replied as the guards around them slowly began to wake.

"If two of you wouldn't mind, please escort Swift to an interrogation cell" Celestia ordered, and they saluted her before grabbing Swift and marching him off.

"Look at this Tia" Luna said from where she stood next to Swift's belongings.

"What is it Luna?" Celestia asked as she walked over to her sister.

"There, on the blades. You see the crisscross within the circle?" Luna asked, pointing to the symbol on one of the blades.

"Yes I see it, what about it?" Celestia inquired.

"That symbol is of the ancient Sword clan. They were known for their skill with blades as warriors and assassins" Luna explained as Celestia slowly remembered.

"They were wiped out though, back during the Discordian Wars. They fought alongside our father" Celestia said as she remembered.

"Indeed, and there was some Alicorns among them" Luna said, remembering better days.

"Is he somehow a distant descendant? Was he the offspring of soe of our very friends and we never knew anything about him?" Celestia asked, without answer of course.

"We need answers, and we need them soon" Luna supplied.

"Indeed sister, let's go get said answers from him" Celestia said as she turned and trotted towards the dungeons, her sister trailing behind her.

"There could be more Alicorns out there" Luna said happily.

"No, that is extremely unlikely. The fact that he remained hidden for however long means there are other forces in play here, but we can rule out the idea of more Alicorns existing" Celestia replied sadly.

"What makes you say that sister? Surely there is some hope?" Luna inquired.

"No, everypony knows how powerful Alicorns are. One could not remain hidden long, not even by suppressing their power. Swift has been trained as an assassin, and therefore he had someone giving him orders, that much is clear" Celestia explained carefully.

"Well either way, it is good knowing that our race stands a chance" Luna said happily.

"Luna, we do not yet know if he is even capable of that. Do not yet assume the Alicorn race is saved, as great a thought that is" Celestia replied without emotion, clearly hiding whatever she was feeling as well.

"We shall see" Luna said, shaking her head in defeat.


	4. Questions and Answers

"Okay, let's start off simple. What's your full name?" The Guard asked Swift.

They were seated face to face, a small metal table between them. The walls, floor, and ceiling we're all made of concrete and we're unadorned except for a large mirror behind the guard across from Swift.

On the other side of the mirror however Princess Luna and Celestia both had a clear of the room from a much more comfortably decorated room.

"My name is Swift Sword" Swift replied curtly.

"So we are on the right idea with the Sword Clan" Luna whispered to her sister.

"Okay, next question is who were your parents?"

"I never knew my parents. I was raised by a stallion named Silent Knight, who said my parents entrusted me to him. He was a very good stallion and I respected him very highly" Swift answered, becoming slightly nostalgic.

"Silent Knight, why does that name sound familiar?" Celestia asked out, only to receive a shrug from Luna.

"Can you tell us your approximate age?" The guard continued reading questions off a long list he had set on The table.

"I'm three hundred And fifty two years old. My date of birth falls two days after the summer Sun celebration" Swift informed the guard and slightly shocking Celestia.

"That's rather uncanny that his birthday is two days after yours Tia" Luna commented to her sister.

"It could be anything really" Celestia replied curtly, her attention focused on Swift.

"Okay, so the next question then is where have you been living during your life?" the guard asked since he has to skip a few questions about parents.

"Well I don't know the name of the place I was raised, I think it was far from Equestria though. Then shortly after colthood we moved to Saddle Arabia. After that I ended up moving around often from place to place, looking for work. When I needed money the best and easiest jobs were simple assassinations. I took a maybe a fifty jobs total in my life to accumulate the wealth I have now. My most recent living space was within The Everfree Forest" Swift informed him warmly, slightly lost in the past again.

"So he's killed for a living?" We definitely need to look into that" Luna said to her sister, who nodded in agreement.

"Oh before you start thinking of me as a murderer, I will tell you that I only took jobs that rid The world of criminals or extremely corrupt politicians" Swift said with a slight start, like he'd been electrocuted almost.

"Oh, can you list some names for the sake of the inquiry?" the guard asked.

"Well there was Lightning Shadow, the dictator of Saddle Arabia two hundred years ago. There was also the Sing Song Brothers, who fused music with magic to make ponies bend to their will" Swift replied, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"I thought Lightning Shadow died of disease" Luna said to Celestia.

"That's what was reported, however it's believable because he was in perfect health at the time of his death" Celestia replied, staring intently at Swift.

"Can you describe the conditions in which these assassinations occurred?" the guard asked, even though the question was not present on the paper.

"I took out Lightning Shadow when his convoy was on its way to attack a small group of roaming Zebra who had been wandering along the border. The Sing Song Brothers were poisoned" Swift stated sadly.

"I know for a fact that the two he mentioned died of poison" Celestia said calmly. "But I don't know if I can believe he took out Shadow"

"Well anything is possible sister" Luna replied, now truly intrigued with Swift.

"So I guess the next question would be what happened to this mentor or yours?" The guard asked since the rest of the questions were no longer irrelevant.

"He died of old age, he was quite old when he took me under his wing" Swift replied sadly.

"So he was a Pegasus then?" the guard further inquired.

"No, actually he was an Alicorn as well" Swift replied, and the guard's eyes widened.

Inside the room Celestia eyes also widened causing Luna to look at her sister inquiringly.

"I knew the name Silent Knight was familiar" Celestia said, facehooving herself.

"Why, who was he?" Luna asked.

"Silent Knight was one of Father's closest friends, as well as his top choice of assassin because he one of his parents was grown the Sword Clan" Celestia explained carefully, and Luna also began remembering whom Silent Knight was.

"So he survived the war? Why didn't he seek us out? Why didn't he reveal himself to us as Well as the fact that there was another Alicorn in the world?" Luna asked all these questions while becoming increasingly emotional.

"I honestly don't know Luna, your guess is as good as mine. All I know it that this stallion is an Alicorn who claims to have been raised by another Alicorn" Celestia said as she shook her head in defeat.

"Please wait here a moment" The guard said as he stood up and exited the room.

A moment later the guard entered the viewing room that both Princesses were currently occupying.

"Well he's definitely being a hundred percent honest. I highly doubt the interrogation room was necessary" The guard said the the two princesses.

"We know, he did almost kill Celestia, so we had to be cautious" Luna supplied.

"Oh we should ask why he was trying to do that" The guard said with a facehoof.

"I don't think that's necessary" Celestia interjected quickly as she turned to face them.

"Why not? Shouldn't we find out who was trying to kill you?" Luna asked.

"Yes, but we'll worry about that later. The fact remains that we now have a male Alicorn in our custody. The implications this creates are massive" Celestia stated with a shake of her head.

Luna and the guard took the moment to glance at each other in confusion, which Celestia saw and she sighed.

"Okay, to put it simple there has been two Alicorns hiding in the world for hundreds of years. Which means there could be more, but that is doubtful. However it also means that other powerful beings could be eluding our ever watchful eyes" Celestia said downheartedly, and Luna could tell this thought was weighing greatly on her sister.

"Tia, Silent was a highly trained assassin. He knew how to stay hidden from those he didn't want finding him. Seeing as Swift was trained by said assassin, it simply that he has successfully learned well. The chance of other beings out there being so powerful is almost absurd. Plus we don't even know how far his magic abilities go" Luna said in an attempt to comfort his sister.

"Well I suppose you're right, but it's still disheartening to know that there was still somepony else out there" Celestia said as she looked at her sister.

"I know sister, but we have hope now. There's one more Alicorn in the world now, and a male no less!" Luna said gleefully.

"Luna as happy a thought all of that is, we still have to take the time to get to know him, or even if he might come to like us" Celestia said in monotone.

"Oh shut up Tia" Luna huffed. "We both saw his expression when he looked at me"

"Yes I am aware, but for all we know he could be playing us. We need time to assess the situation" Celestia said sternly.

"Well I suppose you're right, but even if we can't take him by normal means, we need him. Unless you'd rather our race die out?" Luna argued.

"No of course not, but we know almost nothing about him" Celestia tried to reason.

"Oh please Tia now you're just being ignorant. We know a good deal about his past and we can sympathise with him in that respect. What more do we need to do besides get to know him on a more personal level"

Celestia was about to reply, but found Luna's hoof covering her mouth.

"Just this once sister, stop thinking with your mind and start thinking with that big heart you claim to have. We have a real chance at something here and you might spoil it with all your harsh thinking" Luna said quietly as she continued to hold her sister's muzzle.

"Just this once Celestia, we're going to do the complete opposite of what is expected. We're going to show him a better side to life to remove the gloom from his heart and make him want to stay with us"

After that Luna removed her hoof from Celestia's mouth to allow her to speak, but she said nothing. Instead she turned her attention back to the young Alicorn that sat patiently in the interrogation room, humming a tune to himself while looking lost in thought again.

"Alright Luna, we'll do it your way. Promise me you'll be careful though?" Celestia implored her sister.

"Yes of course" Luna said as she gave her sister a small hug. "You worry too much though"

"Well I lost you for a thousand years, I can't imagine life without you completely" Celestia said with a sad little smile.

"Sister I doubt that would ever happen. Besides, if he gets me you won't have anyone to cover your flank a second time" Luna said as she stuck out her tongue at her older sister and exited the room.

"You know Luna probably has a point. It would be better to have somepony of Swift's caliber as an ally as well as a friend at the very least" The guard said to Celestia.

"I know Charger, but I still don't like how easy he turned tail when he was so arrogant when he was about to impale my throat" Celestia said quietly as she turned to the interrogator.

"I can agree with you there, but orders are orders, we don't always have to like or agree with them" Charger supplied.

"Well I suppose that makes sense, but I still feel like greater forces are in motion here" Tia said as she turned her attention the the interrogation room because Luna had just entered it, startling Swift.

"Oh um hi Your Majesty" Swift mummered, as he stood and bowed quickly.

"Be at ease Swift, everything is going to be fine. My sister is going to be weary of you for a time but everything will turn out just fine as long as you behave" Luna said with a smile.

"Yeah I figured this much. Although I had expected much worse considering what transpired" Swift said as he slumped back into his chair.

"You don't have to sit back down, you are allowed to leave this room now" Luna said as she glanced at their surroundings.

"Oh alright" Swift said as he stood again. "I'm not sure about where I'm supposed to go now though"

"For now just follow me and do as I say" Luna said as she exited the room, and Swift followed her out.

"Should I follow behind you or next to you?" Swift asked once they were in the damp dungeon corridor outside the interrogation room.

"Well it'd be nice to have you next to me so we can talk face to face as we walk, but if you'd rather watch my behind as we walk around the castle I wouldn't mind that either" Luna said with a giggle.

"I think I'll just walk next to you " Swift replied as his black furred cheeks turned red from a blush.

Luna giggled again. "That's okay, just do whichever you prefer"

"Okay, so where are we going?" Swift asked as he followed at her side.

"Well I figured we could just take a little walk around the castle grounds if that's okay" Luna replied.

"Whatever you would like to do is fine by me. You're a princess" Swift said with a slight inclination of his head.

"Swift, before you keep thinking like that. I want you to know that since you are an Alicorn as well you do not have to look at me and my sister as above you. We are equals in all matters except that you do not command a country" Luna said sternly but softly.

"Okay, but you're still a princess." Swift said with a shrug.

"Swift you're so silly" Luna said with a giggle. "I mean that you should see us more as friends, not leaders"

"Oh okay" Swift replied, and there was a pause in their conversation as they continued walking.

"So Swift, if you don't mind me asking, how is it that you've remained hidden all these years?" Luna asked carefully.

"Not at all. Silent taught me all there was to know about stealth, how to blend into crowds and that shadows can be manipulated was some of the best techniques. Also, travelling at night makes it much easier to get around without being seen" Swift explained, completely at ease.

"Really? Well I figured that but my sister didn't seem to agree" Luna said as they continued walking.

"It's really not even that hard. Magic isn't even required for it" Swift informed her with a nod.

"Well that's quite interesting. Speaking of magic, how capable are you with it?" Luna asked curiously.

"Well it depends really, I can do most magics and a little extra. Although how wow the spell is cast varies depending on the type of spell" Swift replied honestly.

"Oh? Well in what areas are you stronger?" Luna asked as she continued to question him.

"Well I'm very good at the stealthy kind of spells such as invisibility and silence. However I am lacking slightly when it comes to spells such as transfiguration" Swift informed her.

"What's the little extra you mentioned?" Luna asked him, curious as to what special magic he might be able to perform.

"Well that's kind of secret and I'm not supposed to tell anyone on Silent's orders, but I see no harm in showing you one spell" Swift said as they stopped and faced each other.

"What does it do?" Luna inquired, but Swift merely smiled.

"I'm sure you'll like it" Swift said as his horn ignited with a red aura.

Luna had mentally prepared herself for an attacked but instead of attacking Swift's body slowly melted and became a black form on the ground and became shadowy form.

The shadow then darted around the room from shadow to shadow. Wherever a shadow was cast upon the floor or wall the shadowy form could entirely disappear.

The shadow finally came to a stop on the floor just in front of Luna, and she stared at it until for a while until the figure of Swift emerged upward from the shadow, and Luna was totally amazed.

"That's a lost magic, and only a handful of ponies have ever known of it's existence" Luna said in astonishment.

"Well Silent knew it, and he taught it to me. I also believe he taught it to you many long years ago" Swift said as he slowly raised his gaze to her eyes.

"To be honest Swift, I've never remembered the pony who taught the spell to me. I was very young then, and my fillyhood is a blur in my memory, distorted by age and by how much was going on when I was young" Luna said sadly.

"I know, Silent told me a lot about the old days and how things used to be. He told me how he taught the Lunar Princess the spell so she could hide herself in case of emergency. He also told me how easy it was for you to master the spell, because darkness is your ally" Swift said with a small smile.

"Yes it was a rather easy spell to master for me. What do you mean about the darkness being my ally though?" Luna asked of him.

"Your sister believes in was your inner anger that made you into Nightmare Moon yes? You remember everything that happened and blamed yourself?" Swift countered with two questions of his own.

"Yes, that's true enough. It was me though, I know it was" Luna said, trying to act confident.

"That's not true Luna, and deep down you know it" Swift stated matter-of-factly.

"Okay, so if I was to believe what you're saying, how can you prove it?" Luna asked of him.

"Silent told me of how because of the war there was many precautions taken to ensure the safety of the Royal Family. You are the princess of the moon, that much has always been true. However, according to Silent there was a young Alicorn named Nightmare Moon, who had a special way with darkness and dreams. She was mortally wounded during a battle so they infused her soul with yours to give you more power and strength" Swift explained carefully.

"Did anyone ask me for my permission?" Luna demanded of him.

"According to Silent, you were only four years old then, but you agreed to it to save Night in a way, and nopony was going to argue with a small filly's way of understanding the situation" Swift told her as he smiled sadly.

"So if this is true how come myself nor Celestia was aware of this?" Luna inquired of him.

"From what I can tell very few knew of what happened, and I have reason to believe they did this at night, when the two of you were at your strongest so that the chance of success would be greater. Therefore your sister would have been asleep" Swift said as he continued walking down the hall that Luna had led him down, and Luna followed.

"So what happened then? Why was I never aware of her presence?" Luna asked quietly.

"There was many speculations, but the best answer would be that because she was so close to death not all of her soul made it into your body. Also that because it is your body, your soul would be many times stronger than hers" Swift explained as the pair approached the end of the corridor where a large pair of double doors stood along with a pair of guards.

"So in a way what they did both succeeded and failed" Luna said thoughtfully.

"Yes, because you gained her power. However they had hoped that she would still be alive enough to be a voice within your mind that could guide you through troubling times" Swift thoughtfully replied, and Luna's eyes lit up.

"She did speak to me during troubling times. Whenever I was sad a small voice was there and we conversed in a way. I always figured it was my own mind trying to calm itself" Luna said as they waited for the guards to open the doors.

"Well that means she is still there, and definitely conscious in a way. However I believe I can explain the incident you had a thousand and some years ago" Swift said as they stepped outside into the sunshine.

"Well that would certainly be a relief" Luna said as they started walking towards the gardens.

"You felt so upset to the point where you cared not for your life, leaving the door open for her to take the lead. She was always the warrior type, and what had transpired between you and Celestia angered her because the two of you were supposed to be equals" Swift explained as they slowed their pace to enjoy the vegetation and wildlife around them.

"That makes perfect sense now" Luna said with a sad smile as she turned her head to look into Swift's eyes, and he returned her gaze."Although it does beg the question as to whether or not I can strengthen our connection"

"All you need is to sit and meditate for awhile and reach out to her. Knowing that she is there will make it easier" Swift informed her.

"You make it sound as if you have experience with sort of thing" Luna said as she studied him.

"I only theorize that it's similar to telepathy but without the use of magic" Swift replied calmly.

"Oh I see" Luna replied, although she did not fully believe him.

"Well what have we here, a male Alicorn?" What a pleasant surprise" A male voice said from behind them, causing them both to turn around.

Before them was a chimera of sorts, a creature with multiple body parts of different animals, His head was that of a pony, but he had the horn or a goat and the horn of a dragon. He had the mane style of a donkey. his body was red and serpentine and his hands were a talon and a bear paw. The rest of his body was beyond comprehension really.

"Draquonis" Swift whispered to himself as he glared at the creature, and both the creature and Luna turned to face him, for it was a term that had not been spoken for many millenia.

"I am Discord, god of chaos and all that fiddle faddle. Who might you be?" The creature asked with a leering smile.

"Your demise" Swift said as he furiously launched himself at Discord.


	5. An Explanation

"Swift no!" Luna said as she yanked him off of Discord with her magic, "He's a friend!"

"A friend?! You dare consider him a friend after what his kind did to ours?!" Swift snorted in anger as he levitated a few feet above the ground, surrounded by a dark blue aura.

"I'll admit it was very tragic, but I wasn't involved in it. My parents left me so they could die gloriously on the battlefield" Discord said in dismay.

"We care not for what happened to you" Swift retorted hotly. "You are no better than they for declaring yourself a God of Chaos"

"True, but no one practices chaos magic anymore so I am the sole user of it. So why not call myself a god since I am immortal and control chaos?" Discord replied with a shrug.

"Luna, put us down" Swift demanded as he continued to glare at Discord.

"Not until you cool off. You're acting extremely harshly. To accuse him of his ancestors mistakes does no good" Luna tried to reason.

"I don't care, our blood boils for vengeance" Swift said, again using plurals.

"I can't help but notice he keeps implying that there's more than one of him" Discord said with a whisper as he moved beside Luna.

"Agreed, but for now we'll humor him" Luna suggested, and Discord merely nodded.

"Swift are you going to calm down? I can't put you down if you still plan on attacking Discord" Luna implored him.

Swift merely snorted. " We would not attempt anything in your presence again if that satisfies you"

Luna gave a glance at Discord, who merely shrugged, so Luna gently put Swift back down.

"Let's get on with what we we're doing shall we?" Luna asked of him after a moment.

"Fine by me, as long as he doesn't come along" Swift said while giving Discord a death glare.

"Okay, just follow this path a little ways and wait for me at the bench next to the fountain okay" Luna told him, and he walked away in the direction she had told him.

"Discord, I know it is implied in this situation, but try your best to avoid him for now" Luna said as she turned her attention to him.

"I will definitely be listening to you on this Luna. That stallion has some deep eyes so he has either seen a lot or he knows a lot, or perhaps both" Discord said thoughtfully as he glanced at the figure of Swift walking away.

"Agreed, my only interest at the moment however is his use of plural forms of himself when that happened. Earlier he gave me advice for communicated to Nightmare Moon and he sounded most experienced on the matter" Luna explained.

"Ah so my hypothesis was right then?" Discord said with a small smile.

"Yes but I'd never have believed it if Swift hadn't explained the story in detail. You just had an guess, not hard facts" Luna replied flatly.

"Well you have a point there. I'm curious as to how much he knows and where he came to such knowledge" Discord said with a frown.

"Supposedly his mentor was Silent Knight, who was one of father's closest friends and personal assassin" Luna explained carefully.

"Silent Knight, I remember that name. He was rather famous considering he was an assassin. I thought he died in the battle that took place over what is present day Appleloosa though" Discord said as he scratched his goatee.

"Was he reported KIA or MIA? That's the biggest issue" Luna asked with uncertainty.

"That itself is the issue. Nopony ever knew. He simply vanished during the battle. He was last seen fighting one of the High Council of Chaos. After that it's unknown" Discord informed her.

"So at best guess it's MIA" Luna said with finality.

"Indeed, well you best go see to him. I imagine you don't want to lose the only male Alicorn known to Equestria" Discord said with a small smile as he walked away as Luna trotted quickly in the direction that Swift had gone.

"Swift, where are you?" Luna called as she approached the bench he was supposed to be sitting on.

Since calling out to him did nothing, she made herself as quiet as possible. Listening for any sounds that a lurking pony would make.

She was almost ready to give up when she heard a long sigh come from the bushes to her left, directly behind the bench.

She slowly pushed through the growth and peered cautiously at what lay beyond.

However her caution was rather unnecessary for there was Swift, his back to her as he stared at his reflection in a small pond.

"Why not just finish the mission and leave. There is nothing for us here" she heard Swift mumble.

"No no no, terrible idea. Failed once already, once failed always failed. Better to get rid of Discord and then leave" he continued his muttering as Luna listened intently.

"No! We have to at least give him a chance. He is obviously not his parents. He does have manners and he seemed to be well spoken" Swift argued with himself.

"Yes but he's still one of their race. We don't want there t be any chance of reproduction" Swift said, his voice growing louder.

"Murder is unnecessary! He is the only one left! Any offspring would never have as much power" Swift countered himself.

After that Swift just let out a long sigh and laid down on the grass and looked both angry and sad as he gazed into the water.

Luna was about to approach him but was stopped by a hoof touching her left shoulder, nearing causing her to scream out in surprise

She didn't however because when she looked it was merely her sister Celestia standing there, also watching the forlorn looking stallion from their hiding spot.

"We need to understand what is going on. We have to observe more before we make a move" Celestia whispered in her sister's ear, and Luna nodded in agreement, so they continued to watch.

"No, It's not that simple. If she says he's a friend then…" Swift started to say but broke off.

"Okay, but I am not doing it for you. Do it yourself if you're so keen on the idea" Swift said, starting to sound slightly annoyed.

"I know, but I don't care! The past is the past! You taught me that! I won't do this just because you want it done!" Swift started shouting, attracting the attention of a guard roaming the gardens a little ways away.

"Are you alright sir? Are you in any sort of distress?" the guard asked as he walked over to Swift.

Swift shook his head to compose himself. "No I'll be alright, Thank you for your concern though"

"Okay, there's plenty of guards and staff around if you need anything" the guard informed him before walking away.

"See what you made me do? Attracted attention to us" Swift said as he shook his head in dismay.

"I know, but you really need to just stop interfering. I don't want to give her any reason to dislike me" Swift said with a sad smile appearing on his muzzle.

"Yes I know I only have a chance because I'm an Alicorn, but I really don't think race matters anyway. Even if I was a regular old earth pony I'd still do anything to get the chance" Swift said with another smile.

"Oh shut up, what do you know of love? You don't have any experience at all" Swift said with finality.

Then Swift stood up slowly and sighed before turning around and directly facing the Princesses, catching them by surprise.

"So how much of that did you hear?" Swift asked as he walked up to them.

"We heard mostly you arguing with yourself, but that hardly seems like the case" Celestia stated.

"Indeed it isn't" Swift replied simply.

"Would you care to explain who you were talking to please?" Celestia asked him politely.

"I don't know how much of it you would understand, but Luna essentially knows the basics" Swift said as he turned to the Princess of the Night.

"He was telling me earlier that Nightmare Moon was actually another Alicorn's soul within my body" Luna informed her sister" So does that mean you also possess Alicorn souls within your body?" Luna inquired of him.

"Yes, my mentor Silent Knight is one of them, he's the one that tried to attack Discord" Swift explained, and Luna nodded in understanding while Celestia appeared extremely confused.

"I turn my back for one second and so many things happen at once" Celestia said in exasperation.

"You speak as if there are multiple in your head though" Luna stated with an inquiring glance.

"Yes, the other one wasn't an Alicorn however. His name was Igneous Sword, a distant relative of mine who was gravely wounded when we were working together on an assignment. I offered him a spot figuring extra skill could be handy" Swift explained.

Swift's eyes flickered before he said "Yeah and I've helped in a few tight spots as well" He stated in a slightly different tone.

"So when you were about to take out Celestia, was it you or Igneous?" Luna asked.

"It was me of course" The same voice replied. "Swift hates killing mares"

"Well Igneous, I don't suppose we could ask you when you joined with Swift?" Celestia inquired, stiffening her shoulders.

"It was oh say… two hundred and something years ago. The old geezer joined us not long after" Igneous said as he shifted his attention to Luna.

"Hmm… well at least he's got some good taste" Igneous said as his eyes flickered between the two Princesses, raising a blush from Luna and a glare from Celestia.

"Whatever, just give control back to Swift" Celestia said sternly.

Swift's eyes flickered and his expression went from comical to exhausted. "Are we done for now?" he asked of the Princesses.

"Sure, I think we know plenty for now. Luna, would you mind finding him a bedroom?" Celestia said as she put a hoof to her chin.

"Of course sister, come along Swift" Luna said as she headed back towards the castle, and Swift trotted up beside her.

"So Swift, what sort of accommodations would you like? Small room in a quiet corner of the castle? Or perhaps a large suit on the upper floors?" Luna asked of him as they passed through the large double doors and entered a long hallway.

"Well both sound splendid, but I will sleep in whatever room you give me. Whatever is more to your convenience" Swift replied as Luna stopped to look at him.

"Are you sure? We have plenty of spare rooms. So many in fact that we often have empty hallways that don't get used for months at a time. Some of the rooms are for special guests and the rest we rent out to citizens who would like to stay in the castle" Luna explained to him as she turned all the way around to look at him.

"I am quite sure that I don't mind. You were kind enough not to lock me up after the attempt on your sister. I am grateful to stay anywhere besides the dungeon" Swift said with a small grim smile.

"Well, I'm sure I'll find something to your liking" Luna said as she continued to lead him down the hall once more.

* * *

"Celestia, he was definitely telling the truth" Discord said to the pacing Princess of the Sun. "What he said about Nightmare Moon adds up, and the way he acted when the soul in charge of the body switched is very accurate. Not to mention his emotions would be everywhere if he was faking"

"I know, but I can't help feel like we keep missing something over and over. There was TWO male Alicorns in existence and we were never aware of it" Celestia said hotly as she continued her pacing.

"Yes but nopony ever bothered looking either. Besides even if we had known of him, it would have done little good. Silent Knight was far too old to reproduce. The only thing that would have changed would have been another voice to add to our little gang of immortality" Discord reasoned.

"Yes I know, but I'm still curious about Swift's parentage. He claims to only be a few centuries old, yet I feel that he is much older. I'd almost say it seems like somepony used a memory spell on him" Celestia said as she continued her pacing.

"That's an interesting idea, but I get the feeling it isn't a matter of age. It feels more like there's some sort of suppressed memory. Something important about his life that he's forgotten entirely" Discord said while running his claw over his beard.

"That could be true, or it could even be a mixture of both" Celestia suggested as she continued her pacing.

"So that's where she gets it from" Discord said as he stared at Celestia.

"Who gets what from what?" Celestia half asked as she continued her pacing.

"Twilight does this same thing when she's thinking too hard. Walks back and forth until there's a trench in the ground" Discord said with a laugh.

Celestia stopped her pacing and took a moment to get her surroundings. Discord was right, she was indeed making a trench, which was close to a foot deep. If she had kept pacing it probably would have been much deeper.

"Well um… why don't we just go inside now" Celestia suggested as she blushed from humiliation.

Discord laughed again. "Sure, I'd love to see if you can make a trench in there too. Let me send a letter to Twilight to have her help you dig"

"That is quite unnecessary. I plan on going inside to help my sister oversee Swift's adjustment to the castle.

"Alright, however I already sent a letter to Twilight anyway. I figured we could use her deductive skills on this" Discord informed her with a shrug.

"I'm impressed Discord, you've been more and more helpful around here since you reformed" Celestia said with a happy smile.

"Well I need something to do, besides all this business with a new Alicorn is chaotic in it's own way" Discord said with a big grin. earning him a small glare and a smile from Celestia.


End file.
